Alarm set and stop mechanism



Dec. 13, 1949 R. v. ADDUCI 2,491,294

ALARM SET AND sToP MECHANISM Filed sept. 20, 1946 H6: 3 IN VEN TOR.

RA YMOND VADDUC/ Patented Dec. 13?y Y19479 to The United States Time Corporation, Vlaltery bury, Comi., a'coiporation'of Connecticut Application September 20, 1946, Serial No..698,-264

This invention is concerned with vtimepieces having an alarm consisting of an audibleor visible means. rIhe particular embodiment chosen forillustrating the inventionrconsists ofv an alarm clockV having the usual bell-type alarm. Theinvention set vfortl'1,ir 1f this application is similar in many respects to that de SCriIQedand claimed in zo-pending application v1 \To. 681, fl by 4Henry S; Brazee and Thomas B.. Claffey and constitutes an improvement thereover.` i u K In an alarm clock,` it is necessary to provide some means for setting the alarmto be sounded at the desired time, and it isvalso thev usual practice to provide some 4means for stopping Y.the alarm after it hasfstartedto yoperate or` forpre-J venting its operation entirely,v It has been the customary` practice in the past to provide a knob on the back of the clockkwhich may be' turned to.v

set the alarm to be sounded at anykpr'edetermined time and to vpn'ovide anothergiknob or buttonon the back, or sometime s'I on the top, ofthe clocl. which may bepul'led out to placethe alarmin readiness to unctio'nirwhen the predetermined time'arrivesV or which may bepushed .in to pref` vent the alarm from functioning. Y

It is an object of this invention to4k provide a single control means on the backm oi an alarm clock or other timepiece for performing both the function of setting kthe alarm and conditioning'` or stopping the alarm, which means will be sim-` ple and positive in operation.: n

Further objects and advantages or the inven-r tion will appear asth disclosure proceeds.

Referring now to the drawing wherein: n Fig. 1 is aside elevational view', partly in s lecl-M tion, of the alarm control mechanism of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a 'View of another embodiment o'f frame plates of theclock are indicated at 2 4. A stati 6 is shown rtatabli7 ,mounted between;

said frame plates andthe stair 6 carriesan alarm escape wheel 8 and an escape' Wheel pinionlll.

Thees'cape wheel 8 andthe pinion' lil are rigidly connected to the staff IiV by staking or inany other desired manner. Also rotatably' mounted be'- tween the frame plates 2 and 4 is shown a staff` I2 having rigidly connected there't, or formedl integrally therewith, the usual alarm hammer having a vergevrl4. The I'J'alle'tsfI ofthe verge are;

indicated at I6 and IB andthese:pallets are en;r gage'dvby theteeth ofthe' alarm `escape wheel 8 so that upon rotationof the ,escape wheel,the verge n carrying` they alarm hammer will be rocked back and forthtowcause the alarm to be sounded inthe Vusualwell-(known manner.` As Will dily Doiappreviated, the escape wheelpinion `l is drivenbythensualualarm train. The alarmtrainntogether with the verge and hammer crnprise the alarm soundingmechanism.

A. knbut is showny rigidly connected. with a` staff 22, and the staff 22 is mounted between the` frame plates 2 andzl in such vmarmer that it is eapfab'le of r'novlernente according to twotypes of mth: earner. rotary andflongitudmai. aia. idlycnneeted to they end of thestafi 22 opposite frmiithe knob H is the usual alarm-.set wheel pinion 24V which meshes with the alarm set wheelA partially shown at 26,-

i resilientmeans in the form of a preferably: dat spring-like member is indicated. at 28 .and-` the4 member v28v is rigidly `connected to the rearV frame plate 4 bymeans of a rivet`30, orin any other desired manner.. The member 2B is provided intermediateits length with a curved offset portion 32 for r`a purpose to be presently described-and thefree end, 3410i ,the resilient member28.i sv.con structed andarranged to be moved intoengagement. withwthe pallet I8 of the verge I4.v as will presently be described.

The.s taf 22. is ,provided with an enlarged-` crowned .portionB-.which may beiormed integ-ral-lyyyi-th thestai or .whichsmay be rigidly securedthereto in anydsire'dmanner. Thecrown` ofthe portion p36 .is the point .ofA greatest diameter and is indicated at"- ,38:1 The .enlarged l portion of the stair vtapers .oi .from-fthe 'crown abruptly ori one sidevas shown kat 40` and gradually on -tli other side'vas shown at 42.

With the Sta 22.7111 the fullililly p'StlOIiSlM' in Fig. 1the intermediate portion .326i the re" i ent member 28 engagestheabrupt ltemer @El varrt reieasabiy holds the stair :2in this po t is to be noted that at thetii'neY the inteirie A' portion 32 of the member 28 -is engaged with the abrupt taper 40, the end 34 is out of engagement withY the pallet I8 ofthe verge I4 so that the hammermay be oscilla-ted by the escape wheel 8. When `the control knob 20 is pushed 111, that is to the left as seenin Fig. 1, the intermediate portion 3201? the resilient member 28 rides upy overthe crown 38 and becomes engaged with the gradual taper 42 of the'. enlarged portion 36; Even` this gradual taper 42 is suiiicient'to cause the stairu 22 to be releasably' held inthe rdotted line position shown in Fig. 1, but sinceV the' tapered I portion 42 is of larger-mean diameter than the 3 portion 40, the intermediate portion 32 of the member 28 is raised to the dotted line position seen in Fig. 1 and the end 34 is likewise raised to the dotted line position and engages the pallet I8 of the verge I4 of the alarm hammer to thereby prevent the hammer from oscillation and the alarm from sounding. Inasmuch as pallet I8 is integral with verge I4, it is to be interpreted that end 34 engages the verge I4.

Since it is usually desirable that the alarm set wheel 25 be turned in only one direction, a means has been provided for preventing the stai 22 from rotating in more than one direction, and this means is shown in the form of a one-way brake, generally indicated at 44. The one-way brake 44 consists of a spring wire member wound as shown at 46 around a cylindrical hub 48 of the enlarged portion 36. The wire 46 is provided with a tail portion 50 having a loop 52 in its outer end and the loop 52 loosely surrounds a stud 54 xed in the rear frame plate 4. The wire 46 is wound around the hub 48 in such manner as to allow the hub 48 and the stai 22 to be freely rotated in one direction, but so that upon attempted rotation of the staff 22 in the opposite direction, the wire 46 will tightly coil about the hub 48 to prevent the same from rotating. The loose fit of the loop 52 over the stud 54 allows the entire brake mechanism 44 to move longitudinally with the staff 22.

The width of the pinion 24, which serves to set the alarm, is such that it will engage the alarm set wheel 26 when staff 22 is in either of its two longitudinal positions. Therefore, the alarm may be set either when the knob 20 is in its in," or alarm stopping position, or when the knob is out, or in alarm sounding position. Also the alarm set wheel can never be turned in more than one direction since it is turned only by the pinion 24, fast with the staff 22, which as pointed out above can be turned in only one direction due to the one-way brake 44. The brake 44 moves longitudinally with the staff 22 due to the loose fit of the loop 52 over the stud 54..

The embodiment of the invention shown in f Fig. 2 diiiers only slightly from that shown in Fig. 1, and the identical parts have been given the same reference numerals as used in Fig. 1 for convenience and ease of illustration. In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, the gradual taper 42 of the enlarged portion 36 is replaced by a cylindrical portion 42' which is curved abruptly as shown at 56 up to the crown 38. While the resilient member 28 is shown in dotted line as well as full line position, it is to be understood that the member 28 moves longitudinally only in relation to the staff 22 and that actually the member 28 is fixed to the rear frame plate as shown in Fig. 1 while the stair moves longitudinally between two positions` in the same manner as illustrated in Fig. 1. The abrupt portion 56 leading from the crown 38 down to the cylindrical portion 42 serves the purpose of more securely holding the staff 22 in its in position.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3 differs from that shown in Fig. 2 only in the provision of a ange 58 having substantially the same diameter as the crown portion 38. When the intermediate portion 32 of the resilient member 28 is engaged within the groove between the crown 38 and ange 58, the staff 22 is more securely, though releasably, held in the in" or alarm stopping position than in either of the other embodiments.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred embodiments and has included certain details, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A timepiece having a pair of frame plates which support components of an alarm train and alarm setting means and said train including an escape wheel and an alarm hammer having a verge engaging said escape wheel; in combination with a manually operable staff supported by said frame plates for longitudinal movement between two positions and also for rotatable movement, a pinion on said staff engageable with said alarm setting means and operable upon rotation of said staff to vary the position of said setting means, a round crowned member fixed to said staff, the mean diameters of the surfaces of said member on opposite sides of the crown thereof being diierent, and a resilient member supported adjacent one end by one of said frame plates and having an intermediate portion slidably engageable with said crowned member and normally disposable on one or the other of said surfaces on opposite sides of said crown thereof to maintain the staff in one of said two positions thereof, the other end of said resilient member being shaped to engage said verge when the intermediate portion of said member engages the surface on one side of the crown of said crowned member but not engage said verge when said intermediate portion engages the surface on the other side of said crown.

2. A timepiece having a pair of frame plates which support components of an alarm train and alarm setting means and said train including an escape wheel and an alarm hammer having a verge engaging said escape wheel; in combination with a manually operable staff supported by said frame plates for longitudinal movement between two positions and also for rotatable movement, a pinion on said staff engageable with said alarm setting means and operable upon rotation of said staff to vary the position of said setting means, a round crowned member iixed to said stail and having a cylindrical portion, the mean diameters of the surfaces of said member on opposite sides of the crown thereof being different, a resilient member supported adjacent one end by one of said frame plates and having an intermediate portion slidably engageable with said crowned member and normally disposable on one or the other of said surfaces on opposite sides of said crown thereof to maintain the stall in one of said two positions thereof, the other end of said resilient member being shaped to engage said verge when the intermediate portion of said member engages the surface on one side of the crown of said crowned member but not engage said verge when said intermediate portion engages the surface on the other side of said crown, and a one-way clutch spring surrounding the cylindrical portion of said crowned member and arranged to grip said portion to prevent rotation of the stai in one direction but not when rotated in the other direction.

3. A timepiece having a pair of frame plates which support components of an alarm train and alarm setting means and said train including an escape wheel and an alarm hammer having a verge engaging said escape wheel; in combination with a manually operable staff supported by said frame plates for longitudinal movement between two positions and also for rotatable movement, a pinion on said staff engageable with said alarm setting means and operable upon rotation of said staff to vary the position of said setting means, a round crowned member fixed to said staff and having a cylindrical portion, the mean diameters of the surfaces of said member on opposite sides of the crown thereof being difierent, a resilient member supported adjacent one end by one of said frame plates and having an intermediate portion slidably engageable with said crowned member and normally disposable on one or the other of said surfaces on opposite sides of said crown thereof to maintain the staff in one of said two positions thereof, the other end of said resilient member being shaped to engage said verge when the intermediate portion of said member engages the surface on one side of the crown of said crowned member but not engage said verge when said intermediate portion engages the surface on the other side of said crown, an elongated pin xed relative to one of said frame plates, and a coiled spring surrounding the cylindrical portion of said crowned member and one end of said spring slidably engaging said pin, whereby when said stai is rotated in one direction said spring will grip said cylindrical portion to prevent rotation of said staff but not grip said portion when the staff is rotated in the opposite direction and said end of said spring engaging said pin regardless of the position to which the staff is slidablygmoved.

RAYMOND V. ADDUCI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,913,948 Perlman June 13, 1933 2,097,487 Kinnear Nov. 2, 1937 2,197,412 Keegin Apr. 16, 1940 2,338,944 Junghans Jan. 11, 1944 2,360,589 Schlenker Oct. 17, 1944 2,421,986 Bohman June 10, 1947 

